The publication Caras y Caretas describes Washington’s policy of blockade as genocidal, stating that it “prevents more than 100,000 Cubans in need of improved health from accessing surgery today.”

The publication quotes statements from Cuba’s Deputy Minister of Public Health, Carilda Pena, who explained that as of the end of the previous week, 95,555 patients were awaiting general surgery, while another 5,152 were waiting for cancer treatments.

“We can’t really say we’re at zero because enormous efforts are being made, but all these patients are waiting for surgery,” the Deputy Minister stated during an appearance on Cuban Television.

She considers it “truly desperate that a person knows they need treatment and can’t access it, and that’s a reality that threatens their quality of life.”

She emphasizes the challenge of guaranteeing hemodialysis for Cubans in need of this treatment under such conditions.

Caras y Caretas reports that it was necessary to hospitalize patients who live far from major hospitals due to the impact of the US fuel embargo.

Currently, 2,888 Cubans are receiving hemodialysis treatment, a therapy highly dependent on supplies, water, and specialized equipment, according to the Uruguayan media outlet.

“In addition to the shortness in medical inputs, there are the disruptions caused by power outages and difficulties with the water supply, and other essential elements for ensuring the operation of hemodialysis units,” Pena argued, as published here.

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